BLOCKCHAIN OPPORTUNITIES IN HEALTHCARE
Jelena Madir
Abstract
Blockchain technology is finding its way into every industry and healthcare is no exception. By decentralising patient health history, tracking pharmaceuticals and improving payment options, blockchain holds the promise of remodeling the collaborative exchange of vital research and useful healthcare data. At the same time, there are still significant obstacles to the broader use of blockchain. Among other things, its novel and distinct characteristics, particularly its consensus-driven decision making and decentralised authority, are somewhat at odds with the clearly delineated framework of rights and obligations. Therefore, for any blockchain project today, it is crucial to understand the application of existing laws in relation to blockchain, especially in the context of data protection, allocation of liability and determination of governing law. This chapter describes key characteristics of blockchain technology, analyses possible use cases in healthcare and delves into legal issues and questions that arise in relation to these blockchain applications.